More than just a side dish, Spanish rice is, to me, a comfort food, a hearty full meal entree that is convenient in that it usually only requires no more than two pans or dishes to prepare which can be really nice after a tiring day at work. This particular Spanish rice recipe is also one of those recipes that can be prepared relatively quickly, especially if you have leftover steamed rice from the night before. But also one that in my opinion, benefits from taking just a little extra time and letting the sauce simmer for a long, slow period of time giving the ingredients the time they need to fully develop the flavor of the dish.

Amount

Measure

Ingredients

1

lb

extra lean ground beef (you can substitute ground turkey)

4

oz

Chorizo sausage (available in most supermarkets in the butcher section)

2

15 oz

cans diced tomatoes (optionally use Ro-Tel brand)

2

Tbsp

chopped fresh garlic

1 1/2

cups

finely diced yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)

5-6

threads

saffron soaked in ¼ cup warmed dry chardonnay

2

Tbsp

chili seasoning

1/8

tsp

cocoa powder (unsweetened)

1-2

Tbsp

tomato paste

1

Tbsp

olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

4

cups

cooked white rice

To prepare:

Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet over moderately high heat. Add in the olive oil and tilt the pan around to coat the bottom well. Next, lower the heat to medium and add in the onions and garlic and sauté 3-5 minutes or until the onions become translucent and tender. Place the ground beef and chorizo sausage into the onions and garlic and cook another 7-10 minutes or until the ground beef is well browned. Add in the chili powder, cocoa powder and the saffron/wine mixture stirring to combine the ingredients well. Next, stir in the diced tomatoes and the tomato paste again, stirring to combine the ingredients. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook, uncovered at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour or more if you have the time (the longer you simmer the ingredients, the more the flavors will blend together) Finally remove from the heat and stir in the cooked rice, mixing together thoroughly. Serve right away, topped with a little cheddar and sour cream alongside a simple tossed green salad.